Kansas House Committee on Elections requests introduction of multiple election measures and hears KLRD briefing on campaign finance transparency

TOPEKA — The Kansas House Committee on Elections on Tuesday requested introduction of a slate of election-related bills and received a Legislative Research briefing summarizing recommendations from a 2025 special committee on campaign contributions and transparency.

One bill presented to the committee, RS 26 32, would extend the period for mailing advanced ballots from 20 days to 22 days, set the deadline to file an application for an advanced ballot at 12 days before the election, and end the time for voter registration 25 days before election day. The committee record shows the bill was introduced and that members raised no objections to requesting introduction; the transcript records the sponsor saying, “We have currently have 20 days and it'll be 22 days.” (The speaker who read the bill is not identified by name in the transcript.)

Legislative Research analyst Jillian Kinkade briefed members on the report of the 2025 special committee on campaign contributions and transparency, which the committee had convened to study campaign contribution verifiability and related issues. “The report of the 2025 special committee on campaign contributions and transparency to the 2026 Kansas Legislature should have just hit all of your inboxes,” Kinkade told members, noting the report will be available at klrd.gov.

Kinkade summarized key findings and recommendations from the special committee, including reviews of pending litigation involving the secretary of state (Vote America v. Schwab; League of Women Voters v. Schwab; United Kansas v. Schwab; Kansas Appleseed v. Schwab; and Kansans for Constitutional Freedom v. Kobach). The report cataloged policy options for addressing unverified online donations and so-called “smurfing” schemes, where small contributions using stolen names and addresses can evade public disclosure thresholds.

Among the recommendations the committee conveyed to the 2026 Legislature were: increased scrutiny of false political advertising and false statements in political ads; consideration of indexing campaign contribution limits to inflation or the Consumer Price Index (with discussion of rounding rules to avoid odd-cent amounts); retaining the $50 disclosure threshold while requiring reporting for expenditures that meet an amended definition of express advocacy; and directing the Division of Vehicles to share out-of-state driver-license data with the Secretary of State to help identify Kansans who obtain licenses elsewhere.

Kinkade also summarized presentations from outside conferees the special committee heard: the Institute for Free Speech recommended centering campaign-finance law on quid pro quo corruption concerns, raising disclosure thresholds above $50, adopting FEC-style forms, and adding an internet exemption for unpaid social media posts; a retired data scientist flagged digital-transparency challenges and proposed options such as campus-focused same-day registration to reduce voter-roll bloat; and a campaign finance attorney urged attention to procedural statutes affecting the Public Disclosure Commission and proposed amendments to the Public Speech Protection Act.

The committee discussed the practical and legal complications of treating an out-of-state driver’s license as dispositive proof of intent to move, acknowledging some Kansans obtain an out-of-state license temporarily and may later return. The report and discussion also highlighted ambiguity in statutory definitions between “issue advocacy” (ballot issues) and “express advocacy” (candidate-focused communications) and recommended clarifying changes to the statute.

Several additional RS bills were presented for introduction during the meeting; the chair and vice chair explicitly asked if there were objections and the committee requested introduction of those measures. The items listed by members include (as read on the record) RS 25 65; RS 28 62; RS 26 84; RS 28 75; RS 2705; RS 2932; RS 12718; RS 2900; RS 25 79; RS 26 70; RS 2614; RS 2845; RS 2572; RS 2908; and RS 2716. Descriptions given on the record varied by item and included proposals to: prohibit use of government assets or employee time to advocate for or against ballot questions; expand donor reporting; modify advance-voting envelope language for voters with disabilities; authorize the Secretary of State to use other databases to verify residency; require DMV reporting of out-of-state driver’s licenses for voter-roll maintenance; and permit voluntary party affiliation on local ballots. The transcript does not record roll-call votes; introductions were requested and there were no objections recorded in the meeting.

The committee also used the session for brief member and staff introductions; Cheryl Du (committee assistant) and Elena Rudder (Legislative Research) introduced themselves, among others. Chair Pat Proctor reminded members the committee is paperless (materials on the shared drive), said the panel plans an accelerated schedule with meetings on most scheduled days, and urged members to notify him when they expect to be absent so he can plan for quorum and potential votes.

The committee asked KLRD to monitor HR 4511 (legislation addressing unverified donations and recurring contributions) and to keep members informed of its progress. After questions, the chair adjourned the meeting.